| Score | Overall |
| 91 | 9 |
| Position | Day |
| 1 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 91 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Weight: | 181 lbs |
| Hands: | 8.88 | Arms: | 31.25 |
| 40 YD Dash: | -- | 10 YD Split: | -- |
| Vertical: | -- | Broad: | -- |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 8.88 | 40 YD Dash: | -- |
| Weight: | 181 lbs | Arms: | 31.25 | 10 YD Split: | -- |
| Broad: | -- | Cone: | -- | ||
| Vertical: | -- | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 8.88 | 40 YD Dash: | -- | Broad: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Weight: | 181 lbs | Arms: | 31.25 | 10 YD Split: | -- | Vertical: | -- | Shuttle: | -- |
Witherspoon hails from Pensacola, Florida, where he played football, basketball, and ran track in high school. Despite starting football late in his high school career, Witherspoon made an immediate impact and was named the 2018 Pensacola News Journal Defensive Player of the Year, as well as the Male Athlete of the Year for his overall production in all three sports. He was not ranked during the recruitment process due to his late start to playing football. However, he still received offers from schools such as Temple, Appalachian State, and Illinois. Witherspoon went on to play college football at Illinois, where he became a standout defensive back. In 2022, he was named a finalist for the Thorpe Award and a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, in addition to earning Consensus All-American honors and being named the Big Ten's Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year. In 2021, Witherspoon received All-Big Ten honorable mention.
Incredible ball skills. No one in this draft class has better ball production over the course of a season than Witherspoon did in 2022. He just has a knack for finding the football and does an excellent job of playing through the receiver's hands at the catch point. Witherspoon’s awareness of the football leads him to many picks and forced incompletions.
Most experienced and accomplished press-man corner in the Draft. Witherspoon’s physicality at the line of scrimmage really aids his ability to play man coverage, routinely disrupting route timing and getting receivers off landmarks. His resume speaks for itself, as he allowed fewer than 40% of passes into his coverage to be completed.
Has all the chops to thrive in zone coverage. Witherspoon’s instincts in off zone-coverage are great. He uses his eyes well and easily recognizes route concepts and triggers on the ball fluidly. He has premium "click and close" ability. While the resume that will get him drafted high is his ability in man, I think there is a good chance his ability in zone is actually what gives him staying power in the NFL.
Physicality that will make you blush. There might not be a more physical player in the entire draft at any position than Witherspoon. It comes through the most in run support, where he has compiled one of the most impressive reels of him absolutely laying waste to ball carriers. He will be a coach's dream in this regard.
Undersized frame. At just 180 pounds, you have to wonder if the physical components of Witherspoon’s game will hold up at the next level.
Lacks ideal recovery speed for a man-corner. At this point in time, we don’t have testing numbers on Witherspoon, but from the tape, it seems like once he cedes ground in phase, he has a hard time making that back up. He also doesn’t seem to have the juice to recover if he gets taken "off the dribble" in press. While I don’t think he is slow by any means, there is some concern here, and as throws generally get more accurate in the NFL, this could limit his opportunity to make those plays on the ball downfield that we are accustomed to seeing from him.
Witherspoon is a fascinating study in this Draft class as he doesn’t quite have the elite physical traits you look for in a shut-down corner, at least to the level of other prospects in the class, but to me, is the best football player at the position. He has man/zone appeal and also outside/slot versatility. With his instincts and ability to make plays on the ball, I see him as a very high-floor player. He scores as a near-elite prospect for me and ranks inside my top 10 overall.
| Score | Overall |
| 90.8 | 11 |
| Position | Day |
| 2 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 90.8 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Weight: | 197 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 32 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.38 | 10 YD Split: | 1.54 |
| Vertical: | 41.5 | Broad: | 133 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.38 |
| Weight: | 197 lbs | Arms: | 32 | 10 YD Split: | 1.54 |
| Broad: | 133 | Cone: | -- | ||
| Vertical: | 41.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.38 | Broad: | 133 | Cone: | -- |
| Weight: | 197 lbs | Arms: | 32 | 10 YD Split: | 1.54 | Vertical: | 41.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
Gonzalez is from The Colony, Texas where he attended The Colony High School. In high school, Gonzalez excelled in both football and track, following in the footsteps of his athletic family. His father played college basketball at UTEP and semi-professionally in Colombia, while his sisters were both all-Americans in track and field in college. He initially committed to Purdue University while in high school, but reopened his recruitment as a four-star recruit. Despite receiving offers from schools like Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame, he ultimately ended up enrolling at the University of Colorado. He became a starter immediately as a freshman, but entered the transfer portal following two seasons with Colorado. He ended up following his cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin to Oregon, where he finished out his college career. Gonzalez's talent earned him significant recognition, including Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention in 2021 and Pac-12 All-Conference first team in 2022. His brother in law is NFL QB David Blough.
Physical specimen. Big, long, corner with enough explosiveness to get a rocket ship out of the Earth's atmosphere. From a physical traits standpoint, he is the prototype at cornerback. We didn’t get agility testing on him, but when you see how oily the man's hips are on tape, it's pretty clear he has the tools to mirror receivers step for step at the break point. His top-end speed is plentiful and allows him to recover or sufficiently play trail techniques in man.
Has the movement fluidity, body looseness, and flexibility of a Sindarin Elf. Gonzalez appears to float or run on top of the ground, similar to the Lord of the Rings character Legolas. (Seriously, just watch it.)
Brick-walls receivers from press alignments. Gonzalez has the strength, length, and quick feet to completely disrupt receivers getting off the line of scrimmage.
Uses the sideline as an extra defender on vertical routes. Gonzalez is a master at cutting routes off and running receivers out of bounds on verts. He can be trusted to defend the boundary without always needing safety help.
Coverage versatility upside. Gonzalez has all the traits to be a press-man corner, but an overwhelming amount of his body of work is him playing zone, even off-zone. He could develop into a very well-rounded player. Personally, I actually like him better in man, despite having significantly less tape of it.
Doesn’t play with high-level instincts or urgency in zone coverage. Gonzalez doesn’t see things as fast as you would like when playing off coverages. This sort of nerfs that elite explosiveness he possesses. It definitely seems like he prefers to be physical or constantly in phase. He could do a much better job of identifying route concepts and anticipating route breaks happening in front of him.
Relative lack of ball production compared to his peers. A good chunk of this certainly relates to the aforementioned poor instincts in zone, but you also see this problem pop up in man coverage. Gonzalez needs to get more consistent with the way he plays receivers' hands at the catch point. He often finds himself in tight coverage but awkward position without the ability to play through the hands. There are a lot of sticky man corners in the league that can’t get their head around or play the ball/hands; what separates the great from the adequate is the ability to force incompletions.
In a very deep cornerback class, Gonzalez sets himself apart as the most natural mover in the class. He has high-level athletic traits but also has an "unlocked" body. He makes incredible movements look easy. Combined with his size and length, he has all the ideal physical components to be a man corner, and while most of his tape is him playing in zone, given his deficiencies, I think he works best as a man corner in the NFL. He scores as a top-15 player for me, worthy of an early 1st-round selection, and is someone I view as having an enormous ceiling if he can start to figure out some of the processing stuff currently missing from his game.
| Score | Overall |
| 89.5 | 18 |
| Position | Day |
| 3 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 89.5 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| Height: | 6' 2 1/2" | Weight: | 193 lbs |
| Hands: | 10 | Arms: | 34 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.46 | 10 YD Split: | 1.5 |
| Vertical: | 35 | Broad: | 129 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 2 1/2" | Hands: | 10 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.46 |
| Weight: | 193 lbs | Arms: | 34 | 10 YD Split: | 1.5 |
| Broad: | 129 | Cone: | -- | ||
| Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 2 1/2" | Hands: | 10 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.46 | Broad: | 129 | Cone: | -- |
| Weight: | 193 lbs | Arms: | 34 | 10 YD Split: | 1.5 | Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
Porter Jr. hails from Wexford, Pennsylvania, where he attended North Allegheny High School. In high school, Porter Jr. was a standout football player and was named to the All-USA Pennsylvania Football first team. He also competed in track and field. Porter Jr. comes from a football family, as his father, Joey Sr., was a former NFL linebacker and outside linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His cousin Jason Gildon also played for the Steelers, and another cousin — Larry Birdine Jr. — played at Oklahoma State and in the NFL. Porter Jr. began his college career at Penn State as a four-star recruit and quickly made an impact on the field. He earned multiple accolades during his time at Penn State, including 2022 All-America second team, 2022 first-team All-Big Ten, and being named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2022. He was also named to the All-Big Ten third team in 2020 and 2021.
Prototypical athletic profile. Porter has a big, long frame with good athleticism. Porter has good recovery speed and the juice to play downhill and close on routes breaking in front of him. His length and leaping ability pair nicely to give him many wins at the catch point. He was almost never beaten downfield in college, and his athletic profile is a big reason why.
Plays press like a Dagestanian wrestler. Porter mauls receivers at the line of scrimmage. He uses extreme physicality and violence to disrupt timing and precision with frequency. His length and play strength are huge assets here.
Great ball production. His length and instincts allow him to trigger on underneath routes quickly and force incompletions. On throws downfield, Porter locates the ball like a WR and does a good job of attacking it in the air or playing the receiver's hands late. I really like his ability to get his hands on the ball in both man and zone coverages.
NFL lineage. It's not secret at this point that Porter Jr. is the son of former stud EDGE defender **Joey Porter Sr. **Porter has been raised for this opportunity, and it shows up in his work ethic and technical prowess and even in his alpha-mentality that his dad clearly also possessed. His dad has prepared him well for this moment.
Change of direction skills aren’t ideal. Porter struggles against more nuanced route runners and, more noticeably, will struggle against double moves. While those are rare, it is worth noting. If Porter is going to be put in a ton of man situations in the NFL, ideally he is matching up with bigger pass catchers whom he can mirror easier. I think could dominate against bigger receivers but be shaky against shiftier route technicians unless he can stall them at the line of scrimmage. If he loses the battle at the LOS, you really see him struggle to turn/flip and get in phase quickly. Which opens him up to getting beat on sharp breaks. I don’t see this being problematic downfield necessarily, but rather in the short to intermediate parts of the field.
Physicality can be detrimental at times. There is no doubt Porter is the most physical corner in coverage in the class, and while that is great most of the time, it does often come at a cost, as he routinely gets extra grabby at the top of route stems. He will get flagged in the NFL a lot if he doesn’t clean this up.
Porter Jr. is yet another fantastic cornerback prospect in a very deep group this year. His ability in press is outstanding. I see resemblances of Jamel Dean when I watch him, and think he should be used in a similar capacity in the NFL. While he does have some deficiencies with his change of direction skills, I think his instincts, length, and athleticism make him viable in zone looks as well. He scores as a top-20 player for me and should find his way into a starting role very quickly.
| Score | Overall |
| 89 | 21 |
| Position | Day |
| 4 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 89 | 4 | 1 | 21 |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Weight: | 190 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 30.75 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.58 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 |
| Vertical: | 34.5 | Broad: | 125 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.58 |
| Weight: | 190 lbs | Arms: | 30.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 |
| Broad: | 125 | Cone: | -- | ||
| Vertical: | 34.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.58 | Broad: | 125 | Cone: | -- |
| Weight: | 190 lbs | Arms: | 30.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 | Vertical: | 34.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
Branch is from Fayetteville, Georgia, where he attended Sandy Creek High School. In high school, he was named the Georgia 5A Ironman of the Year, recognizing his exceptional abilities on both sides of the ball. After receiving offers from numerous top programs such as Alabama, Oklahoma, and Georgia as a four-star recruit, he ultimately chose to commit to the University of Alabama, where he has continued to impress as a versatile defensive back. In 2022, he was named a First Team All-American, cementing his status as one of the top players in college football.
Football IQ and instincts are the cornerstones of his game. The list of MAs (missed assignments) on Branch’s tape is probably the smallest of any player in the Draft. He is borderline flawless in his execution. Whether it's triggering the run, breaking on routes underneath him, or playing man coverage, Branch has been one of the most technically sound players in the country. Has a deep understanding of everyone’s role on defense and identifies route concepts quickly. He is as steady as they come.
Positional versatility. Branch could be an above-average starter at three different positions in the NFL — slot corner, box safety, or deep safety. He could also contribute as a DIME LB in obvious passing situations. Ideally, he lands on a team that gets the most of his versatility. His versatility compares favorably to recent studs like Tyrann Mathieu, Budda Baker, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
Fluidity and change of direction skills are elite. Branch is such an easy mover. His hips are unlocked and oily, plus he can stop on a dime and explode in the opposite direction.
Play strength is exceptional. At 190 pounds, you wouldn’t expect Branch to be such a sure tackler. He also refuses to give up ground and be pushed around by bigger receivers or tight ends in coverage. In fact, I would say he usually out-physicals players bigger than him.
Added value as a pass-rusher. Branch is fantastic as a blitzer. His explosive burst and high IQ when understanding attack angles and timing make him a legit threat as an extra pass-rusher. He could be deployed similarly to how **Steve Spagnuolo **has used L’Jarius Sneed.
Didn’t test well at the Combine. Branch didn’t test as explosively as he looks on tape. While I didn’t expect him to blaze an elite 40-yard dash, I did expect him to put up a better 10-yard split and vert. This is an instance where I am probably going to trust the tape here — he looks like a good athlete on tape.
Technically a little undersized to hold up as a box safety. If you are into putting players into boxes because of measurables, then Branch is probably too small to hold up as a box safety full-time. Given I likely wouldn’t use him this way full-time anyway (he’s more valuable elsewhere), I am just going to disagree that this is actually an issue.
Branch is probably the safest player in the entire NFL Draft. He is a guy you legitimately have to invent weaknesses for just to fill out his evaluation card. His positional versatility, combined with near-flawless technique and processing, gives him one of the cleanest pathways to the field possible. He should be a lock to start every game as a rookie unless the team who drafts him already has a fantastic secondary. Positional value knocks him a little bit in my scoring system, but he still comes in with a top-20 grade, and I would be comfortable taking him as early as 7th overall. His ideal role is probably as the primary slot corner/nickel in 5 DB sets, but pairing him with other versatile defensive backs could give offenses fits with safety rotations and walk-ups.
| Score | Overall |
| 87.3 | 24 |
| Position | Day |
| 5 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 87.3 | 5 | 2 | 24 |
| Height: | 6' | Weight: | 197 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.38 | Arms: | 31.38 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.35 | 10 YD Split: | 1.49 |
| Vertical: | 42 | Broad: | -- |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Height: | 6' | Hands: | 9.38 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.35 |
| Weight: | 197 lbs | Arms: | 31.38 | 10 YD Split: | 1.49 |
| Broad: | -- | Cone: | -- | ||
| Vertical: | 42 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' | Hands: | 9.38 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.35 | Broad: | -- | Cone: | -- |
| Weight: | 197 lbs | Arms: | 31.38 | 10 YD Split: | 1.49 | Vertical: | 42 | Shuttle: | -- |
Banks is from Edgewood, Maryland, and attended Edgewood High School. In addition to excelling on the football field, Banks also competed in track and field in high school. He was a three-star recruit heading into college and committed to playing football at the University of Maryland, where he became a starter as a freshman for eight games. In 2022, he received Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition for his contributions to the Terrapins' defense. He finished his career with 83 tackles, two interceptions, and 13 passes defended.
Special athlete. Banks is probably the most gifted athlete in the incoming CB class. He has explosiveness for days and a truly elite top gear to play man and/or recover when he loses ground in phase.
Feet are elite. Banks has incredible footwork. Obviously, his athleticism permits him to have quick feet, but he also has precise feet with limited wasted movements. He can mirror the shiftiest of receivers and also has the size to deal with bigger players as well.
Unlocked, loose hips. Banks transitions from press really well and can turn/flip with ease. His complex movements look easy for him. He’s not quite on the **Christian Gonzalez **spectrum in this regard, but definitely near-elite territory.
Coverage versatility. Banks has a good bit of experience in press man, press zone, and off coverages. He performed all at a high level and probably gained interest from a large swath of teams because of it. He also might have some inside/out flexibility as well.
Plays paranoid when in trail technique or chase. Banks gets a little panicky and peeks for the ball too often rather than playing the WR. His reach timing gets thrown off quite a bit, and he will even get a little rambunctious at the catch point, which could cost him some long-yardage DPIs in the NFL.
Needs to anticipate what's happening in front of him better. The biggest concern for Banks right now is how he reacts to route combinations or breaks that happen in front of him when he is playing off-coverage in either man or zone. I would like to see him play more urgently to drive on either the football or match the break of the receiver.
Press technique needs some work. Banks’ feet get a little stuck in the mud when in press. He relies too heavily on his hands to get the job done and subsequently can cede a lot of ground off the line of scrimmage.
Generally speaking, Banks is a raw prospect with ridiculous physical traits. He does have a late 1st round grade from me, but he is not in the same tier as Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez, or Joey Porter Jr. because of the holes in his technique. With that said, his ceiling is tremendously high, and I am more than willing to bet on the traits.
